Body borne charge firing arrangement



Nov. 24, 1964 3,157,957

S. LEWIS BODY BORNE CHARGE FIRING ARRANGEMENT Filed April 12, 1963 INVENTOR. SAMUEL LEWIS AGENTS United States Patent "ce 3,157,957 BODY BORNE QHARGE FIRING ARRANGERIENT Samuel Lewis, 670 Riverside Drive, Apt. 4%,

New York, N.Y.

Filed Apr. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 272,638 4 Claims. ((31, 421) This invention relates to guns, and more particularly to an arrangement for carrying a gun fastened to the body, and for discharging the gun in a predictable and controlled direction without the use of the hands.

A gun arrangement of the type described is an attractive top when used with cap type ammunition, and the invention will be described hereinafter with specific reference to a toy gun. The operating principle of this invention, however, is not limited to childrens toys, and those skilled in the art will readily be capable of building an analogous gun arrangement useful for security oificers and others having to cope with a sudden threat to their lives under conditions where they may not use their hands.

The primary object of this invention is a gun capable of being aimed and fired without the use of the hands. For this purpose, I provide a support which may be strapped to the body of a person. Fastening means on the support permit an explosive charge to be attached thereto. A firing mechanism is arranged on the support for firing an attached explosive charge, and a trigger member is mounted on the support in such a manner that it may move between an inoperative position in which it projects from the support toward the body of the person, and a firing position inwardly spaced on the support from the inoperative position. The trigger member is operatively connected to the firing mechanism for actuatingthe same when the trigger member is in the firing position.

The exact nature of this invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will be readily apparent from consideration of the following specification relating to the annexed drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows a gun arrangement of the invention in plan view;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 on a larger scale and partly in section; and

FIG. 3 shows a detail of the device of FIG. 2 in elevational section on the line III-IIL Referring now to the drawing in detail, and initially to FIG. 1, there is seen the outer face of a sleeve or cuff 1 which is a rectangular strap of leather, plastic, fabric or like pliable material, and similar to a tourniquet. A buckle 2 and a leather thong 3 on opposite longitudinal end portions of the sleeve may be connected to form the adjustable closure of a loop of adjustable length which includes the sleeve. The sleeve 1 may thus be wound about the upper arm of a person in such a manner that a tube 4 which has the appearance of a gun barrel extends axially parallel to the direction of elongation of the arm.

The barrel 4 is axially slidable on the sleeve 1 in two spaced U-shaped guide frames 5 and 6 fastened to the sleeve 1. In the position illustrated in the drawing, a flange 7 on the barrel 4 is urged to abut against the frame 5 by a helical compression spring 8 interposed between the frame 6 and the flange 7.

A double flanged spool 9 is seen in FIG. 2 in radial median section. It is rotatable on a pin 10 fastened to the sleeve 1, but friction between the spool 9 and the pin 10 prevents spontaneous rotation of the spool. A continuous strip 11 of conventional toy pistol caps is wound on the spool 9 and thereby fastened to the sleeve 1. The strip 11 holds small explosive charges 13 in spaced relationship. The charges 13 may be detonated by impact while they are backed by the closed bottom 14 of the barrel 4 which provides an anvil. They are guided past 3,157,957 Patented Nov. 24, 1964 the barrel bottom 14 by two guide pins 15, 16 attached to the sleeve 1.

The pins 15, 16 are spaced part sutficiently to permit passage of a firing pin 17 of substantially cylindrical shape. The pin 17 is mounted on a strong leaf spring 18 one end of which is coiled about a post 20 on the sleeve 1 in such a manner that the spring 18, if released from the cocked position shown in the drawing, projects the firing pin 17 toward the barrel bottom 14, and detonates a charge 13 located there. The spring 18 is of sufficient width to resist deflection transversely of its firing movement.

The spring 18 is held in the cocked position by a detent plate 21. A notch 22 in an edge of the relatively thin plate 21 receives the free end 19 of the spring 18. The plate 21 has a guide face 23 adjacent the notch 22 I the function of which will presently become apparent.

The detent plate 21 is fixedly attached to a square pin 25. As better seen in FIG. 3, the pin 25 passes through an opening in the sleeve 1 and through a conforming square passage in a reinforcing metal plate 26 secured to the sleeve 1. The plate 21 is thereby prevented from turning about the axis of the pin 25 under the pressure of the spring 18. The movement of the pin 25 and of the plate 21 transversely of the sleeve 1 is limited by an enlarged trigger head 27 and a fixed collar 28 on the pin 25. A leaf spring 29 is riveted to the sleeve 1 and to the reinforcing plate 26 and its free end urges the collar 28 on the pin 25 to move inward of the loop formed by the sleeve 1, buckle 2, and thong 3.

The position of the pin 25 in which the trigger head 27 projects inward of the loop as far as is possible in view of the abutment of the collar 28 against the outer face of the sleeve 1 will be referred to hereinafter at the inoperative position of the trigger head. In the inoperative position of the head 28, the detent plate 21 is aligned with the tip 19 of the spring 18 so that the spring tip 19 may be received in the notch 22.

The gun arrangement is operated as follows:

The spring 18 is released so that firing pin 17 passes between the guide posts 15, 16 and abuts against the gun barrel 4. If an explosive charge 13 is present on the barrel bottom 14, and the impact of the firing pin is sufliciently swift, the charge 13 is detonated. The sleeve 1 is then attached to the relaxed upper arm of a person by means of the buckle 2 and thong 3 in such .a manner that the open end of the barrel points toward the ground in the normal position of the arm. The strapping pressure which holds the sleeve 1 to the arm should only be sufiicient to prevent shifting of the sleeve during normal movements.

The force of the spring 2? is selected so that the pressure of the arm against the trigger head 27 is more than balanced as long as the arm muscles are relaxed.

The firing mechanism may next be cocked by displacing the barrel 4 axially in its guide frames against the combined resistance of the springs 8 and 18. The movement of the barrel is transmitted to the spring 18, and the free end 19 of the spring 13 moves towards the detent plate 21. The spring 18 first makes contact with the guide face 23 of the plate which is obliquely inclined relative to the path of the free spring end 19. The spring 18 is therefore arcuately bent between the detent plate 21 and the post 20 by the pressure of the gun barrel 4. Eventually, the spring drops into the notch 22 with a readily audible clicking sound which indicates that the firing mechanism is cocked. The free end of the paper ammunition strip 11 may then be pulled to align the next available explosive charge 13 with the gun barrel bottom 14 and the firing path of the pin 17.

The trigger head 27 is pushed outward of the arm loop the upper arm are tightened and thereby expanded. I have found that the arm of even a small body differs suificiently in circumference between the relaxed and the tensioned condition of the biceps muscle to reliably displace a trigger head of the type illustrated by more than 4 inch, a distance amply sufficient to move the detent plate 21 out of alignment with the spring :18, and to there by release the spring, Since the spring 18 is very much wider than it is thick, it moves in a fixed path about the post 20. It cannot be shifted in the direction of move ment of the plate 21 by frictional engagement with the latter.

The outward movement of the trigger head 27 into its firing position is partly due directly to the expansion of the arm muscles which move in a radial direction toward the trigger head 27. In part, the trigger is released by the circumferential tension in the loop of supporting elements of the gun arrangement. This tension tends to flatten the loop, and thereby to bring the trigger head 27 nearer to the encircled arm. It is therefore not necessary to mount the trigger head 27 on the biceps muscle to cause discharge of an explosive charge by tensioning of the muscle. Expansion of the arm muscles can be achieved almost without visible movement of the limb, and very conveniently by tightening a fist.

If the gun barrel 4 is replaced by a real gun connected to the trigger head 27 for discharge of its ammunition when the head 27 is forced out-ward of the supporting sleeve 1 by muscle expansion, the gun may be hidden in the sleeve of a garment, and aimed with the upper arm while the hands are raised in the air. Suitable linkages for connecting the trigger head 27 to the trigger of a conventional pistol will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. A Bowden cable assembly will work adequately, but is preferably combined with a lever arrangement to increase the trigger stroke. The forces available from the expansion of an adult biceps are surprisingly high, and more than adequate for pulling the trigger of a pistol by means of a stroke enlarging linkage. A conventional water pistol may also be discharged in an analogous manner.

It should be understood, therefore, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that it is intended to cover all charges and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A charge firing arrangement comprising, in combination:

(a) a sleeve member;

(b) means for winding said sleeve member in a pliable loop about a body portion of a bearer under a predetermined transmitted pressure; I

(c) fastening means on said sleeve member for fastening an explosive charge to a portion of said sleeve member;

(d) firing means on said sleeve member for firing said charge when fastened to said sleeve member portion; and

(e) trigger means responsive to an increase in the pressure transmitted between said loop and said body portion for actuating said firing means, said trigger means including (1) a trigger member movable transversely of said loop and normally projecting therefrom in an inward direction toward said body portion when said sleeve member is fastened to saidbody portion, and

(2) yieldably resilient means permanently urging said trigger member to move in said inward direction.

2. A toy gun arrangement comprising, in combination:

(a) strap means;

(b) adjustable closure means for closing said strap means into a loop of adjustable length, whereby said strap means may be attached in a closed loop to the arm of a bearer under a predetermined strapping pressure;

(c) anvil means mounted on said strap means;

'(d) a firing pin mounted on Said strap means for movement in a predetermined direction toward and away :from said anvil means; 7

(e) yieldably resilient firing means for actuating movement of said firing pin toward said anvil means;

(1) detent means movable on said strap means toward and away from a position of engagement with said firing means in which said detent means blocks actuation of said firing pin movement by said firing means; and

(g) trigger means on said strap means responsive to an increase of pressure applied to said strap means beyond said predetermined pressure, said trigger means being operatively connected to said detent means formoving the same away from said position of engagement responsive to said pressure increase, said trigger means including a trigger member movable between an inoperative position in which said trigger member projects from said strap means inward of said loop, and a firing position displaced outward of said loop from said inoperative position, said trigger member being connected to said detent means for moving the same away from said position of engagement when said trigger member moves from said inoperative position to said firing position thereof.

3. An arrangement as set forth in claim 2, further comprising guide means on said strap means for guiding movement of said anvil means in said predetermined direction, said anvil means being movable on said strap means; abutment means for limiting said movement of said anvil means in a direction away from said firing pin; yieldably resilient means urging said anvil means to move 1 in said direction away from said firing pin.

4. An arrangement as set forth in claim 2, a supply of explosive charges; and guide means on said strap means for guiding said charges in a path passing between said anvil means and said firing pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ryan Mar.27, 1962 

1. A CHARGE FIRING ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A SLEEVE MEMBER; (B) MEANS FOR WINDING SAID SLEEVE MEMBER IN A PLIABLE LOOP ABOUT A BODY PORTION OF A BEARER UNDER A PREDETERMINED TRANSMITTED PRESSURE; (C) FASTENING MEANS ON SAID SLEEVE MEMBER FOR FASTENING AN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE TO A PORTION OF SAID SLEEVE MEMBER; (D) FIRING MEANS ON SAID SLEEVE MEMBER FOR FIRING SAID CHARGE WHEN FASTENED TO SAID SLEEVE MEMBER PORTION; AND (E) TRIGGER MEANS RESPONSIVE TO AN INCREASE IN THE PRESSURE TRANSMITTED BETWEEN SAID LOOP AND SAID BODY PORTION FOR ACTUATING SAID FIRING MEANS, SAID TRIGGER MEANS INCLUDING (1) A TRIGGER MEMBER MOVABLE TRANSVERSELY OF SAID LOOP AND NORMALLY PROJECTING THEREFROM IN AN INWARD DIRECTION TOWARD SAID BODY PORTION WHEN SAID SLEEVE MEMBER IS FASTENED TO SAID BODY PORTION, AND (2) YIELDABLY RESILIENT MEANS PERMANENTLY URGING SAID TRIGGER MEMBER TO MOVE IN SAID INWARD DIRECTION. 